One-way snap fastener



April 3, 1945. Q J -HUEI ESTER Re 22,625

ONE-WAY SNAP FASTENER Original Filed March 30,- 1942 INVENTOR 7 20a &52/" 35 22a 0770 J HuELsTER Reiuued Apr. 3, 1945 p ONE-WAY SNAP FASTENEROtto J. Huelster, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Scovill ManufacturingCompany, Waterbury, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Original No.2,328,016, dated August 31, 1943, Se-

rial No. 435,728, March 30, 1942.

Application for reissue April 26, 1944, Serial No. 532,895

Claims.

This invention relates to snap fasteners, and more particularly toimprovements in that class of device of which the component socket orstud members may be detached one from another only by the application ofa pull in one particular direction.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and ruggedsnap-fastener socket member having a spring element which may be engagedwith the head of a conventional stud in an ordinary manner, but whichmay not be disengaged to release the stud except in response to a. pullapplied to the fastened socket and stud member in a predetermined way.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a socket memberof this general character having a split-ring spring element confined ina tapered recess in the body of the socket, and means for holding aportion of the ring in the enlarged rear. end of the recess so that apull applied immediately above that part or the ring will efiect itsexpansion and its release from the head of a cooperating stud member,whereas a pull applied to the socket at any other point will cause thering to move into a constricted part of the recess wherein it cannotexpand su-flicientl to release the stud.

It is another object of the invention to provide a. snap fastener studmember which may be disengaged from a socket of the foregoing charactermore easily than can a stud of conventional design; and, morespecifically, to provide a stud having its head deformed from the trulycircular shape of a conventional stud in such a way as to facilitate itsseparation from the one-way detachable socket of the invention inresponse to a pull applied to the fastened members at the one properplace. I

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, as well as variousfeatures thereof, will be more apparent from the following descriptionwhen considered in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which--Figure l is a plan view of a socket member constructed in accordancewith the invention and secured to a supporting sheet;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the socket of Fig. 1 illustratingits detachment from a conventional stud member in response to aseparating pull applied at the one proper place;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View, similar to that of Figs. 2 and 3,illustrating the manner in which the socket locks with its cooperatingstud to prevent separation of one member from the other when the sheetson which the members are installed are pulled in any but the one desireddirection Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views illustrating another form ofsocket embodying the invention, the section of the separate figuresbeing taken at to each other;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a fragment of the socket assembly of Figs. 1 to4, inclusive, looking downwardly from the top thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe stud element of the present invention whichis designed for use with the illustrated sockets.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the body Illof the socket is preferably a one-piece sheet-metal shell comprising acrown portion ll having a central opening I! for receiving the end of arivet I3 by which the body is secured to a supporting sheet M; a backflange i5 extending more or less abruptly outward from the margin of thecrown; and a pcripheral wall I 6 extending forwardly from the backflange, these various portions forming collectively a recess H forreceiving the head of a stud member l8, which is here shown installedupon a second supporting sheet IS. The spring element of the assembly ispreferably a simple split ring 20 located in the stud-receiving recessI! where it may engage the contracted neck portion 2| of the stud tohold that member and the socket in fastened relation. In accordance withthe invention, the recess I! is somewhat larger at its rear than at itsforward end, whereby the spring element may have some backward andforward movement therein. This is very simply accomplished in thepreferred embodiment by tapering the wall ['6 inwardly from its juncturewith the back flange l5 toward its mouth 22, although any other suitableexpedient may be adapted to accomplish'the desired result. It is also ofimportance to note that a portion of the spring ring is always confinedwithin the enlarged rear end of the stud-receiving recess of the socket.Thus in Figs. 1v to 4 the mouth of the shell is inturned as shown toprovide a lip 23 which is adapted to hold the adjacent sector of thering within the enlarged rear end of the studreceiving recess ll whileallowing its remaining portions to axially tilt with respect to theshell forwardly or backwardiy in the manner heretofore mentioned.

The above-described socket may be snapped into engagement withacooperating stud II in the usual way, and this operation is so readilyevident as to require neither specific illustration nor description. Theconstructional features of the socket are such, however, that it cannotbe diseng ed from the stud except by the application of a pull to thefastened supporting sheets l4 and is at one particular place. Theseparating operation is illustratedin Figs. 2 and 8, where it will beobserved that a pull upon thesheets immediately above and below theinturned lip 28, as indicated by the arrows, has theefl'ect of force tothe fastened socket and stud at any but the one proper place, isillustrated in Fig. 4. There the pull upon the fastened sheets has theeffect of tilting the socket and stud in such a way as to cause ring 20to lie in a constricted part of the stud-receiving recess l'l with itsentire periphery engaged by the tapered wall It. When the parts of thefastened members are inthese relative positions it is apparent that ring20 is not free to expand for the purpose of releasing the head of thestud, and continued pulling of the sheets not only falls of that result,but, on the contrary, can only cause the tapered wall of the shell tobind more firmly against the ring and tighten the hold of that elementupon the said head. In order to simplify illustration the pull upon thesheets has been indicated as applied at points diametrically oppositethe inturned lip 23 of the socket. It will be evident, however, that theapplication of a pull to the fastened sheets at any other point alongthe peripheries of the members except at the one proper opening placewill lock the socket upon the stud in the manner just described. Thus, apull upon the fastened members will always tilt them to such relativepositions as to cause the tapered wall 01' the body III to confine thering 20 and wedge it against the head of the stud l8 whereby to preventseparation of one member from the other, unless that pull is applied atpoints immediately ovenand under the inturned llp'23.

Another form of socket embodying the invention is illustrated in Figs.and 6, where, for the sake of simplicity, the body portion lie is againa simple sheet-metal shell having a crown lid with a centralrivet-receiving opening Ho, and a back flange lie; and itsstud-receiving recess ila is again constricted by having its peripheralwall -l in tapered inwardly-the shell in these respects beingsubstantially identical with that 01' the embodiment 01' Figs. 1 -.to 4.In this arrangement, however, the means for holding the spring ring 20ain the desired position are formed on the ring rather than on the shell.Thus, the ends 21 of the split ring are turned downwardly, as is shownin Fig. 5, and rest upon the tapered wall of the shell so that theadjacent sectors of the ring are held in the enlarged rear end of thestud-receiv ing recess while all of its other portions are free to movebackwards and forwards therein. The functioning of this device isprecisely like that of the one already described. When, for example, apair of sheets which are fastened together by a socket of this kind anda conventional stud member, are pulled at points immediately above andbelow the downtumed ends of the ring 20a, that ringiwill expand andrelease the stud Just as does proper place, the tapered wall Ito of theshell will engage and confine the ring a so that it cannot expand torelease the stud, Just as was described in connection-with the deviceillustrated in Fig. 4.

In this form of the invention it is essential that the downtumed ends ofring 20a be maintained in some definite position in the shell, so thatthe place for the application of a separating pull to the socket mayalways be determinate. This is accomplished in the illustrated device byindenting the mouth of the shell to provide a pair of internal lips 28which are adapted to engage the ends of the ring and hold them in adefinite position, although any other suitable expedient may be adoptedto achieve the desired result.

It will be evident that in the completed installation the one-waylimiting means on the socketnamely, the lip 23 of Figs. 1 to 4, or thedownturned ends 21 of the ring and the internal lips 2| of Figs. 5 and6must be held-in a definite relation to the supporting sheet, and thesame thing is true oi'the index mark 29 on, the attaching cap 30 (Fi 7)which indicates the point of application of a separating pull. Thus inboth illustrated modifications the crown of the socket and the undersideof the cap are provided with a series of tines II which are adapted todig into the supporting sheet I and thus to hold the socket and capagainst rotation on the sheet.

In both of the illustrated embodiments of the socket, its body is asheet-metal shell which is adapted to be riveted to its supportingsheet, and the spring element is a conventional split ring. While theseembodiments have much to commend them in the matter of a simplicity andcheapness of manufacture, it will be evident that the inven- 40 tion maybe embodied in other forms. It is only necessary that the body have somemeans whereby it may be secured to a supporting sheet; that the springmeans, whatever its character, shall be I mounted-for limited back andforth movement in the stud-receiving recess; that the recess shall havean enlarged rear portion within which the spring may expand and aconstricted portion ad jacent its mouth which is too small to allowsufficient expansion of the spring to release the head of a cooperatingstud, and, finally means for holding a portion of the ring within theenlarged rear part of the recess where it may always expand in responseto a pull applied immediately above that point.

The socket of the invention may be combined with a conventional form ofstud, as is shown in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, to provide a one-waydetachable snap fastener, as heretofore described. It is of note,however, that the separating action of thiscombination may be fairlystiflf, that is to say, a fairly heavy pull may sometimes be required tosnap the truly circular head 24 of the conventionnal stud through ring20 of the socket in order to release one member from the other. If asofter-acting'fastener is wanted it may readily be gotten by employing astud of the type shown in Fig. 8 with the socket heretofore described.In

that figure, which is on a very much enlarged scale, it will be observedthat the head 24a is flattened or relieved to a very slight extent ateach side of that one of its sectors which is intended to underlie, theone-way opening means, i. e., lip 23 of Figs. 1 to 4 or the downtumedends 21 of Figs. 5 and 6. Preferably the stud is of standardconstruction, and its head is deformed in such a way as to form aportion 32 which projects slightly beyond a true circlehaving its centercoincident with that of the stud head, whereas the immediately adjacentportions 33 are drawn back equally slightly inside of that .theoreticalcircle. This deformation is so slight as to make no difference in thesnapping of the stud into engagement with its socket in the ordinaryfashion. It will be apparent, however, that when the projecting portion32 of the stud head is aligned with the one-way limiting means of thesocket, the lip 23, for example, the relieved sectors 33 will be able topass through the ring 20 more easily than would the comparable, trulycircular sectors of a conventional head-that is to say, the split ringof the socket will not have as much frictional engagement in the release'of the relieved head of the Fig. 8 stud as it would to pass over thecircular head of a conventional member. While this deformed headfacilitates release of the socket from its stud in response to aproperly applied separating pull, it will also be evident that neitherthe projecting portion 32 nor the relieved sector 33 will prevent thebinding and locking together of the members when a pull is applied tothem at any point other than immediately over and under the one-waylimiting means of the socket, i. e., lip 23 or downturned ends 21.-

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the stud member of Fig. 8must be installed upon its supporting sheet with the projecting portion32 of its head so disposed that it will underlie the one-way limitingmeans of a cooperating socket I when the members are mutually engaged.In order that this established relationship may not be disturbed, thebase of the stud preferably has a series of tines 34 which are adaptedto dig into the supporting sheet during the setting of the stud so thatthey may hold the stud against rotation in its normal usage.

Since the invention is capable of embodiment in various forms, it isintended that the foregoing shall be construed in a descriptive ratherthan a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A snap fastener socket member for use with a stud element of the typewhich includes a post having an enlarged head portion and a contractedneck, said socket member comprising a body having a recess therein andan opening for admitting the head of such a stud to said recess and anenlarged portion to the rear of said opening, spring means disposed insaid recess and being adapted for limited axial tilting movement thereinand for expansion to receive the head of a stud, and means on the socketmember for cooperation with a part of the spring means for providing thelimited axial tilting of the latter.

2. A snap fastener socket-according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe means on the socket member which cooperates with a part of thespring means for providing the limited tilting of the latter, operatesto confin the pivotal portion of the spring means within the enlargedrear portion of the recess.

3. A snap fastener socket according to claim 1, characterized in thatsaid spring means comprises a split-ring element.

4. A snap fastener socket according to claim 1, characterized in thatsaid spring means comprises a split-ring element a portion of which isconfined within the enlarged rear part of said recess, while leaving theremaining portions free to axially tilt backwardly and forwardlytherein.

5. A snap fastener socket comprising a body element adapted to besecured to a supporting sheet and having a peripheral wall defining arecess with an opening at its forward end for admitting the head of astud element and with an enlarged portion to the rear of said opening,and a spring element adapted for limited axial tilting movement in saidrecess and for expansion when disposed in the enlarged portion, toreceive or release the head of a stud, and said peripheral wall havingportions which slope inwardly and forwardly toward such opening wherebyto confine said spring element and limit expansion thereof when saidspring element is in a. forward position with respect to said opening.

6. A snap fastener socket member according to claim 5, furthercharacterized in that said spring element is a split ring, and by theprovision of means projecting inwardly from said peripheral wall toengage an adjacent part of said ring and to hold it within the enlargedrear portion of said recess.

7. A snap fastener socket member according to claim 5, furthercharacterized in that said spring element is a split ring, and in thatthe said spring has an offset portion extending towards said opening andengaging said wall whereby to hold the adjacent part of said springwithin the enlarged rear part of said recess.

8. A snap fastener socket member according to claim 5, furthercharacterized in that said spring element is a split ring, and has ashort end portion which extends forwardly towards said opening andengages said shell to hold adjacent portions of said ring within saidenlarged portion of said recess.

9. A snap fastener socket member for use with a stud element of the typewhich includes a post having an enlarged head portion and a contractedneck, said socket member comprising a body having a recess therein andan opening for admitting the head of such a stud to said recess and anenlarged portion to the rear of said opening, spring means disposed insaid recess and being adapted for limited axial tilting movement thereinand for expansion to receive the head of a stud, said spring meanscomprising a split ring, means providing limited axial tilting of saidring in said recess, and means on the socket member for retaining thesplit of the ring in predetermined position in said socket member.

10. A snap fastener socket member for use with a stud element of thetype which includes a post having an enlarged head portion and acontracted neck, said socket member comprising a body having a recesstherein and an opening for admitting the head of a stud into saidrecess, spring means disposed in said recess, means retaining the springmeans against displacement from the recess of said member whilepermitting tilting movement thereof and expansion for reception of thehead of a stud, and means on the socket member for cooperation with apart of the spring means for providing limited axial tilting of saidspring means in said recess.

11. A snap fastener socket member comprising a body adapted to besecured to a supporting sheet, a spring ring, means on one surface ofsaid body for supporting said spring ring against displacement from saidbodywhile permitting free expansion of the spring ring and movementthereof toward and from said surface, and means retaining a part of thespring ring in close proximity to said surface to minimize said movementof said part of the spring ring with respect to said surface.

12. A snap fasiener socket member comprising a body adapted to besecured to asupporting sheet, a spring ring, means on one surface'oi'said 'body for supporting said spring ring againstdisplacement from saidbody while permitting free expansion of the spring 'ring and movementthereof toward and from said surface, meansretainingapartofthespringringincloseproximity to said surface tominimize said movement of said part of the spring ring withv respect tosaid surface, and the body of said socket member oases gazed, and saidsectors ha i outer founded surhaving means retaining the spring ringagainstcircumferential displacement on the surface of said body. 1

- 13. A one-way detachable snap fastener installation including a socketmember and a cooperating stud member, said socket member comprising asheet metal shell having means whereby it may be secured to a supportingsheet, a circular wall defining a recessv in said shell with an openingthereto for receiving the stud member, a

split ring spring element confined in said recess,

toward such opening whereby said ring may have limited back and forthmovement in said recess, an inwardly projecting, lip on said shelladapted the enlarged rear part of saidrecess and in defining one-waylimiting means onsaid socket; and said stud member comprising anupstanding post having a head which is slightly larger in diameter thanthe inside diameter of said spring said wall being tapered forwardly andinwardly g to engage a sector of said ring to hold'it within element, acontracted neck lying immediately behind said head, means whereby saidstud member may be secured to a supporting sheet, said ,element from thesocket faces lying slightly inside ofv a circle drawn from the center ofthe post and coinciding with the major portion of the remaining outersurfaces of the head.

14. A snap fastener installation according to claim 13, in which thatportion of the head ar-. ranged between said sectors "and in alinementwith the one-way limiting means of the socket. projects slightly beyondthe mentioned theoretical circle. v

15. In a snap fastener comprising a stud element and socket member. asocket member adapted for one-way detachment only of a stud element withrespect thereto, said socket mem-.

her having a split spring ring for engagement with a stud element insecuring-the element against displacement from said socket member, meanson the socket member providing expansion of said spring ring sumcientlyto receive a stud elementand for retaining the ring against displacementfrom said socket member, said means providing free but limited movementof the spring ring throughout the major portion of the circumferencethereof in a direction axially with respect to a stud element arrangedin the socket member, and means retaining a portion of the circumferenceof said spring against said axial movement and forming on the socketmember the position of one-way detachment of a 'stud member.

